Monday, August 24, 2009

Back to school!

It was back to school day today. I've home schooled these 3 kids their whole lives and now they're in public school. I missed them terribly! The house was too quiet. I wondered and fretted about how they were getting along with the new environment. I worried that they wouldn't be happy and worried they'd be sad. I shouldn't have. They had a good day and can hardly wait to go back again tomorrow. The other 3 kids (who are teenagers) will continue their studies at home through an online academy - that's what they chose. They also missed their younger siblings and worried about the same things I did.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Almost done!

I'm done with the piecing of my string quilt. I thought I had enough Warm and Natural to get started with the quilting, but I don't and won't be able to shop for another week and a half. *darn* I really wanted to get started on it. I feel so accomplished when I can pull a quilt from the dryer and enjoy the crinkly soft finished product. You know what I mean?

Since I've gone as far as I can with it I'll share a picture of it. I started collecting Asian type prints about a year ago and was waiting until I thought I had enough and also waited until I found a pattern that would suit the fabric. I found the tutorial at Film in the Fridge. I loved the string quilt look immediately and knew that I was going to use my Asian collection for this project. The fabrics are mostly Kona Bay, Blank, Micheal Miller, Benartex, Free Spirit and Robert Kaufman.I think I'm going to name the quilt, Asian Beauty!
What do you think?

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Sew Fantastic


Sew Fantastic is having an awesomely huge and generous giveaway! Rush on over and take a look. Sew Fantastic is a really fantastic place to visit, so if I don't win...I still win with having another great blog to visit that is chock full of great ideas and inspiration.

Amy Butler!

21 different Amy Butler prints!



Not quite finished with my string quilt, but I've been thinking about my next project. I think it's going to be a disappearing 9 patch with white. I think it's going to be pretty!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Look What I Found!

It's a shirt


I was in a thrift store the other day and I found this shirt, it's a seriously ugly shirt (at least I thought so and so did the kids), but I loved the fabric. As fabric it's cute, in a quilt it will be cute...just not as a shirt. For a whole .5o cents I got almost a yard of this lovely fabric. Cool beans....at least I think so!

Meanwhile, I stayed up much too late last night working on my string quilt. I have 7 more blocks to make. I'm so excited! It's been fun. At first I thought maybe I had too many strings and would have bunch left over. I didn't really want a bunch leftover and was a little bummed that I had miscalculated and cut too many, but nope, I'm now worried that I'm going to run out of a the 2 fabrics that I have consistently put in each block. This is it, 2 little strips left and seven blocks to go.

There isn't a whole lot left of any of the strips. I need 7 more blocks, does this look like 7 more blocks? It's going to be close!


A few blocks to be cut.


A sneak peek at what I have put together so far. I think it's beautiful!


Friday, August 14, 2009

Celebrate with p.s i quilt


p.s i quilt is hosting another awesome giveaway in honor of The Quilt Shoppe.
Rush over, take part and check out the great stuff they have at The Quilt Shoppe.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Teaching Moments

The past few days have been busy ones. I put my house up for sale and have been doing lots of cleaning and several of my children decided they wanted to make quilts and something. I've also been working on my string quilt. I don't often give myself praise, but I think it's turned out beautiful. I'm working on the borders right now, well not right now, since I'm sitting here blogging about it - but I will be working on the borders in a little while.


This little dolly quilt was created by my 12 year old daughter. She picked through the scrap bags and put this cute little quilt together and almost ran over finger while working on her first attempt at stippling. She did a great job!



My 7 year old son, wanted to make something (he was very vague) about what the something should be. The something turned into this little pillow that he sleeps with every night. Little guy did a great job with his stippling too, he steered the fabric while I ran the pedal.


My 13 year old daughter picked out her fabrics at the fabric store and is thrilled with the colors. She had never used a sewing machine before and had a lot trouble with her quarter inch seams, her blocks turned out a little wonky. She was unhappy about it until I told her that lots of people make wonky squares on purpose. I named her quilt Wonky Squares...totally original huh?

I have one more quilt to show, but I can't because I don't have pictures that I can get to. When I find the cable to the camera I'll post them. Fifteen year old dear daughter didn't have the memory card in the camera when she took pictures of her quilt and I can't get to them without the camera cable. And she already gave the quilt away so I can't get a picture of it unless I corner the lady at church next week - I may do that!

Monday, August 3, 2009

Strings!

I did it, I started a string quilt. I've been collecting asian type prints for almost a year now. Some are more asiany (i know - not a real word) than others, but I think it's working. The wonderful tutorial came from here http://www.filminthefridge.com/2009/04/27/a-string-quilt-block-tutorial-paper-pieced-method/


It's fast, it's easy and that is perfect for me. I generally have one or two of my kids helping to pick out which fabric strip should go next. I'm loving this!